SRINAGAR: Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar has directed its associated hospitals to conduct four surprise night inspections every month to assess emergency preparedness and identify deficiencies affecting patient care during evening and night hours.
The inspections will be carried out between 8 pm and 7 am, with the exact timing kept confidential and varied to prevent hospital staff from anticipating the visits.
The exercise will focus particularly on Emergency and Casualty services, where patient inflow is generally high during evening and night hours. Medical Superintendents of the associated hospitals have been assigned four surprise night inspections each month.
The inspections will assess the availability and deployment of doctors and paramedical staff, emergency medicines and equipment, diagnostic services, oxygen supply, patient flow, cleanliness and sanitation, security and crowd management, besides overall emergency preparedness.
Hospital authorities have also been directed to pay particular attention to the 7 pm to 11 pm period, especially in Emergency and Casualty sections, with checks covering triage, staffing, emergency medicines and equipment, diagnostics, oxygen availability, patient movement, cleanliness and security.
Medical Superintendents have further been instructed to conduct three administrative rounds every day, including a mandatory round at 5 pm before the evening increase in patient flow. They must also conduct at least one daytime inspection on a holiday each month.
The inspection mechanism assigns monthly responsibilities to other officers as well. Personnel Officers will conduct two regular and two night inspections, while FA-cum-CAOs and Accounts Officers will undertake one regular and one night inspection each.
Administrative Officers will conduct two regular and one night inspection every month, while Heads of Departments may carry out inspections whenever required.
The Administrator has been tasked with conducting one Grand Inspection and two surprise inspections every month, covering institution-wide and systemic functioning of the associated hospitals.
